A classic Yorkshire pudding needs a crisp golden crust, a soft centre, and a tall rise. Getting that rise without collapse can be tricky, but a simple ingredient swap can help.
Traditional recipes use equal parts eggs, plain flour, and milk. Swapping half the milk for cold or sparkling water creates more steam during cooking, giving the puddings maximum lift. The sparkling water adds carbon dioxide bubbles that help the batter rise into light, high-rising, crispy puddings.
Recipe tip from Delicious Magazine
Delicious Magazine shared its Yorkshire pudding recipe, which includes the unusual ingredient. The recipe notes: "An easy Yorkshire puddings recipe, perfect with roast beef. This recipe has a slightly unusual ingredient – a little sparkling water."
Other tips for a good rise include resting the batter, making sure the oil is piping hot before adding the batter, and never opening the oven door while baking.
Ingredients and method
For the recipe, you need 20g beef dripping or 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 100ml full-fat milk, 50ml sparkling water, 115g plain flour, ¼ tsp salt, and 2 medium eggs, beaten.
Preheat the oven to 220C/fan200C/gas 7. Put the dripping or oil into a 4-hole Yorkshire pudding tin or deep 6-hole muffin tin and heat for 5 minutes until hot and smoking.
Mix the milk and sparkling water in a jug. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Season the eggs with black pepper. Make a well in the flour, pour in the eggs, and whisk, gradually adding the milk mixture until smooth.
Pour the batter into the hot tin, filling each hole no more than three-quarters full. Cook without opening the oven door for 20-25 minutes until risen, deep golden, and crisp. Serve hot.
